4/6 Instance: Can I? Can I? Please?!

[Ult_Sm86]

[timeline = current]

Miles: Miles spotted Rachel on the couch and webslinged over to her, dropping next to her in the couch. "Hey, can we talk?" he asked, nanoseconds after his bum hit the cushion.

Rachel: Rachel had been slouched into the cushions of the couch, feet propped on the coffee table, as she stared at the television screen. As Miles plopped down into the seat to the left of her, she startled slightly, looking between him and the news. "...About what?"

Miles: "Two things, actually. One, I need your permission for a field trip. Of sorts."

Miles: He smiled brightly and fluttered his eyes.

Rachel: With a sigh, she picked up the remote and hit the mute button, paying the subtitles at the bottom of the screen no mind as she turned her attention to Miles, eyebrow raised, "...What sort of field trip?"

Miles: "... The next mission we go on to nail Quentin." he admitted quietly. "But I can totally handle myself and I passed all of the physical exams! (With a B.)"

Rachel: Expression going blank, Rachel simply stared at him for a few long moments before looking around the room as she pushed a hand through her hair. It hadn't been that long since Eddie threw her through the patio door for granting Cassie permission to go out. Letting out a breath, she asked, "Why are you asking me?"

Miles: "Because... Cecilia's my cousin?" And you're my best shot because everyone else thinks I'm too immature, btu damn it I deserve a shot!

Rachel: While she had caught the thought, she still asked, "What does that have to do with anything?"

Miles: "I want to be there to protect her." he said solemnly. "And if I am there, there's less of a chance things can go wrong! The more people the better, right? Wasn't that the thing with all the Apocalypse crap?"

Rachel: "I was in a coma for all of that," Rachel answered with a shrug, focusing on the television screen once more as she added, "But, not necessarily. Plus, I'm sure she'd resent the idea that she needs protection."

Miles: "That's true, she does. And she seems to think it's too dangerous for me. Which I resent, because I just want to be there to watch her back. Rachel, you're my best shot. You know me best. You know my reflexes, you know a simple DR test is not the best example of what someone can do in the field!"

Miles: "You're the only adult person who can help me get onto the field! Help me Rachel-wan-Kenobi, you're my only hope!"


Rachel: While she'd usually be all for Star Wars jokes, she just didn't have it in her to find them amusing, given what they were discussing. "Well, running off to fight cannibals isn't exactly the best time to prove what you can do either."

Miles: "I think it's the perfect time. Rachel, I can do this... please! I know I've screwed up but I need to make it up to everyone! How do I do that if I don't kick some cannibal-ass?"

Rachel: "You prove yourself useful in other ways, like not getting eaten by cannibals," Rachel simply answered, still highly unconvinced.

Miles: "But... if you let me go I'll do chores for you for two weeks!" A broad smile swept his face. "Come on, how do you turn that down?"

Rachel: "Um, for one, I have an amazing girlfriend that does chores," she suggested, pausing as she debated the rest of her answer, continuing after a breath, "Two, the last person I gave permission to go out cannibal-hunting ended up on a table, in a pool of her own blood, in an abandoned church with her ribs cracked open, organs missing, chunks of flesh ripped from her bones, and her eyes gouged out."

Miles: "You know it's not your fault she died, right?" he asked, unsure if he even believed that.

Rachel: With the exception of Eddie, mostly, she muttered, "That's what everyone says."

Miles: "Right... but let's pretend for a second I do run into trouble. You know as well as I do, I have that spider-sense. Precognition to danger! And I can camouflage! And I have my awesome sting! Rachel... with my reflexes, my skills, and my unbeatable charm?"

Miles: "I'm ready for this team! I want to help and you guys need my help!"

Rachel: "It doesn't matter how charming you are or what powers you have," Rachel shook her head, "Cassie could teleport and look at how well that worked out for her."

Miles: "Rachel, if you don't help me, I'm going to forge someone's signature. And you know I'm going to do it, too." he eyed her carefully.

Rachel: "Yeah, trying to blackmail me totally proves you worthy," she rolled her eyes, reaching for the remote to unmute the television. "Why don't you try talk to Melati or, y'know... someone in the staff that's actually useful?"

Miles: He frowned. "Rachel, was there ever a time in your life you wanted someone to give you a shot and no one would? And then that one person, maybe a friend, finally gave it to you? And against all odds, you proved yourself as an X-man? I'd like to get that."

Rachel: Rachel paused with her finger on the mute button, brow furrowing as she thought back. Eventually, she shook her head, "Not really, no."

Miles: "Really? You were just always a constant success?" he didn't believe that. Not for a second.

Rachel: "More like constant failure," she snorted, setting the remote down to turn back to him, "Look, Miles... One of my first missions, I fell through a fucking air duct and ended up in one of Essex's cells. After that, I never really felt the need to prove myself as an X-man because I never wanted to be one. I wanted a normal life, and I'm here, being an X-man now, because I fucked up."

Rachel: "Hell, I fucked up by letting Cassie go out, and I'm sure as hell not sending another kid to their death."

Miles: "You-you didn't fuck up, you did what you could. That's not your fault that that happened to her..."

Miles: "And I'm not Cassie."

Rachel: Rachel rolled her eyes, "I didn't do what I could. What I could have done was made sure someone went with her, gone with her myself, thought my decision through..."

Miles: "... Well that's my point, I'll be with a group! Heck, you might even be there!" He held his arms open wide. "See my point?"

Rachel: "Fine, I see that point," she reluctantly admitted with a sigh, "But, it's not all about being able to hold your own, especially not with this..."

Miles: "Well, I hear the team sucks now and everyone's tense and arguing all the time. Maybe you need a team-player like myself in the mix?" Chipping away, aww yis.

Rachel: "It's not entirely that either," Rachel shook her head, questioning, "How strong is your stomach? I mean, can you handle the smell of rotting or burning flesh, seeing people chopped into pieces or having bites taken out of them...? What about if we find Johnny and Jamie like that? Can you actually keep it together?"

Miles: He thought about that. "You know I was here for the Zombie attack on the campus by that gross dead-student, right? And I've had the DR review some terrible battles for you guys for me. Lotta sad deaths, but they went out with a bang at least."

Miles: "I'm not saying that any of this prepares me for it in person but... I think I can deal with it, yeah."

Rachel: "Teagan," she corrected, raking a hand through her hair with a sigh, "And, I've seen... more dead bodies than I can count. Nothing really prepares you for it." Biting down on her lip, she asked, "If you can't deal, you'll talk to Dr. Guan or Cess, right? You aren't going to pull an Eddie... or, well, a me or Rogue or Bobby?"

Miles: "Hey, my dad just died. And you know what he told me? With great power comes great responsibility. That is very important to me, and I'm not about to go back on my promise to him."

Rachel: "That... sucks," Rachel replied, lacking any other words for that news. She reached for the remote once more, eventually stating, "I'll give you permission, but don't make me regret it."

Miles: "Thank you Rachel!" He reached his arms around her and gave her a big kiss on her cheek. "YAY THANK YOU!" He web zipped out of the room to give Cee the good news. "You're my favorite!"

Rachel: As soon as Miles was out of the room, she swiped at her cheek, pulling a face. What had she just done?